Colour Reagent for Paper Chromatography of Steroids

Abstract

FOR the paper chromatography of steroids several colour reagents are used, such as 2,4-dinitrophenyl-hydrazine, Zimmermann's reagent, phosphomolybdic acid, antimony trichloride, etc. Their common defect is that the reagent gives some colour with the paper itself, and so the contrast between spot and paper is too small. We have found that acid aniline phthalate in alcoholic solution—the reagent Partridge used for tracing sugars¹—is suitable for the indication of steroids as well. On the white background the steroids show as yellow, orange or brown spots.